Any information about what's "custom" about the guns? Without knowing what's been customized, it just looks like a Caspian frame with a production slide and barrel. Do the slides still have the factory finish?

When I say custom I should use hand fit instead. He will add a different finish to the gun or checkering things of that nature. He can do most things to the gun, but if you want a gun as pretty as one from the high end custom shops you should go there. He makes a very nice hand fit and reliable gun for less then most 1911 cost.

I am very skeptical of those prices. Would be great if real. The cost of the frame and slide is that much.

Limbkiller, i was wondering the same thing. maybe he is getting some really good pricing on the frames and slides, or is getting them dealer direct or something. i have priced the Caspian frames and slides in my Brownells catalog, and it doesn't leave much for the rest at the price he is charging.

I'm more than a little skeptical. I saw on the other forum that the OP says that the gunsmith is a friend of the owner of Caspian Arms and gets discounted prices and that's the reason for the unusually low prices.

The things that raises red flags for me is that if this is true, why just use the Caspian frame? Why put a production slide and barrel if the gunsmith can get discounted prices from Caspian and use a matching Caspian slide? What happened to the rest of the production guns when the slide and barrel are taken off? Is the gunsmith going to start using the other half of the production pistol and put a Caspian slide and different barrel on it? The OP says that the guns use Caspian internals too, but from what I recall, Caspian doesn't make too many internal parts. The two-tone Springfield in the second photo has distinctly Springfield Armory-looking controls, i.e slide stop, safety.

I'm more than a little skeptical. I saw on the other forum that the OP says that the gunsmith is a friend of the owner of Caspian Arms and gets discounted prices and that's the reason for the unusually low prices.

The things that raises red flags for me is that if this is true, why just use the Caspian frame? Why put a production slide and barrel if the gunsmith can get discounted prices from Caspian and use a matching Caspian slide? What happened to the rest of the production guns when the slide and barrel are taken off? Is the gunsmith going to start using the other half of the production pistol and put a Caspian slide and different barrel on it? The OP says that the guns use Caspian internals too, but from what I recall, Caspian doesn't make too many internal parts. The two-tone Springfield in the second photo has distinctly Springfield Armory-looking controls, i.e slide stop, safety.

Just not sure what I think at this point.

You didn't read the rest of my post over there. When I was talking to Steve a guy that works for Ron at a gun store. Steve was telling me when I asked the question about the Springfield slide. Ron goes to exhibits and shot shows or whatever you call them and is a gunsmith for Springfield. He gets paid in parts.
Now I can hope that a FFL dealer wouldn't be doing something illegal, and that this is just a lucky find. Call up and just talk to them. No one can lose at these prices.

I didn't mean anything illegal was going on. Just raises an eyebrow for me.

And I'd think a company as big as Springfield Armory would pay their gunsmiths by check instead of assorted parts.

Now wait a minute, this Ron guy owns and runs a hardware/gun store, builds pistols, sets up at gun shows, is personal friends with the owner of Caspian Arms, AND is a gunsmith for Springfield Armory? Surely you can see how the more there is to this story, the more skeptical it sounds.

If I were to bet, I'd put my money that Ron and Steve are a couple bull****ters feeding people lines. To me, that scenario seems a lot more likely than the one I'm hearing on here.

He only sells guns in a hardware store, as a part time thing. He is retired and builds guns as a hobby. As far as the caspian and Springfield connections I can only report what I hear. When I pick up my gun I will take it to a member of here or one of the other 1911 forums to be looked at. I have seen these guns up close and felt them they are not just thrown together. I thought I would pass along the info if no one wants to take a chance that's no problem for me.

I know you're just relaying info that has been told to you. Don't want you think I'm saying you're full of it. And I dont know anything about the guns, so I can't say one way or the other about them.

All I'm saying is that there are too many red flags in the story for me to be interested in buying one. If its too good to be true, there's usually a reason. I don't know if or what the reason might be in this case. I just know I probably won't roll the dice. Others are free to make their own choices with no judgement from me.